Showing posts with label iraq. Show all posts
Showing posts with label iraq. Show all posts

Saturday, August 28, 2010

POVERTY: U.S. Occupation of Iraq More Than Doubles Poverty, Sickness

Adil E. Shamoo
August 22, 2010
Iraq has between 25 and 50 percent unemployment, a dysfunctional parliament, rampant disease, an epidemic of mental illness, and sprawling slums. The killing of innocent people has become part of daily life. What a havoc the United States has wreaked in Iraq.


UN-HABITAT, an agency of the United Nations, recently published a 218-page report entitled State of the World’s Cities, 2010-2011. The report is full of statistics on the status of cities around the world and their demographics. It defines slum dwellers as those living in urban centers without one of the following: durable structures to protect them from climate, sufficient living area, sufficient access to water, access to sanitation facilities, and freedom from eviction.


Almost intentionally hidden in these statistics is one shocking fact about urban Iraqi populations. For the past few decades, prior to the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, the percentage of the urban population living in slums in Iraq hovered just below 20 percent. Today, that percentage has risen to 53 percent: 11 million of the 19 million total urban dwellers. In the past decade, most countries have made progress toward reducing slum dwellers. But Iraq has gone rapidly and dangerously in the opposite direction.


According to the U.S. Census of 2000, 80 percent of the 285 million people living in the United States are urban dwellers. Those living in slums are well below 5 percent. If we translate the Iraqi statistic into the U.S. context, 121 million people in the United States would be living in slums.


If the United States had an unemployment rate of 25-50 percent and 121 million people living in slums, riots would ensue, the military would take over, and democracy would evaporate. So why are people in the United States not concerned and saddened by the conditions in Iraq? Because most people in the United States do not know what happened in Iraq and what is happening there now. Our government, including the current administration, looks the other way and perpetuates the myth that life has improved in post-invasion Iraq. Our major news media reinforces this message.


I had high hopes that the new administration would tell the truth to its citizens about why we invaded Iraq and what we are doing currently in the country. President Obama promised to move forward and not look to the past. However problematic this refusal to examine on the past -- particularly for historians -- the president should at least inform the U.S. public of the current conditions in Iraq. How else can we expect our government to formulate appropriate policy?


More extensive congressional hearings on Iraq might have allowed us to learn about the myths propagated about Iraq prior to the invasion and the extent of the damage and destruction our invasion brought on Iraq. We would have learned about the tremendous increase in urban poverty and the expansion of city slums. Such facts about the current conditions of Iraq would help U.S. citizens to better understand the impact of the quick U.S. withdraw and what are our moral responsibilities in Iraq should be.

http://www.alternet.org/story/147928/u.s._occupation_of_iraq_more_than_doubles_poverty,_sickness_--_leaves_country_a_total_disaster

Source: http://malnutritionandmalaria.blogspot.com/2010/08/poverty-us-occupation-of-iraq-more-than.html

»»  read more

The US Economy

Why are we still experiencing a recession? Whose fault is it? Well as of today it's the fault of President Obama for not ending the wars in the Middle East and yes that includes Iraq.


But then most Americans are always happy to spend money abroad fighting a war. But God forbid we spend any on Americans here in the United States.


A U.S. Legacy of Waste in Iraq.


Such an episode is neither new nor the last time, we will waste billions of dollars on failed projects abroad while more and more Americans lose their jobs and homes.

Source: http://cyberhacienda.blogspot.com/2010/08/us-economy.html

»»  read more

Improving Obama's Image

Not much he can do here -- and this isn't going to help:


He’s going to be hustling on the road until the November election.... and seek to persuade skeptical Americans.... seize control of the perception.... sway public opinion.... message he wants to convey.... improved its “presidential imagery’’ — the way the president is presented to the American public.’’


As if we are going to be fooled by all that.


"Obama to hit campaign trail after island vacation; President aims to reassure voters on US economy" by Mark Arsenault, Globe Staff | August 29, 2010

OAK BLUFFS — For 10 days, even as dire housing and economic reports continued, President Obama kept to a disciplined vacation schedule....


But now, Democratic Party officials said, a recharged president will hit the midterm election hustings with a message tuned to echo his 2008 campaign theme of “Hope’’ and seek to persuade skeptical Americans that his long-promised economic recovery is real.


That should go over like a lead balloon!


All that will do is REMIND US why we are SO DISAPPOINTED in HIM!


“He is still a very strong energizer of the Democratic vote,’’ said Tim Kaine, chairman of the Democratic National Committee. “He’s going to be hustling on the road until the November election and he’ll be relishing the opportunity.’’


Yeah, I'm glad he has time to waste on political campaigns as the country falls apart.


Related: 2006 All Over Again


Looks like he will be ENERGIZING MORE REPUBLICANS!


**********


“This president has a record of accomplishment in the first 18 months unmatched by any administration since FDR,’’ said Kaine.


Why did the word hyperbole just enter my head?


Just last week, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that the president’s stimulus bill, passed last year with little Republican support, is responsible for creating or protecting between 1.4 million and 3.3 million jobs. And an economic forecast released last week by the Milken Institute projects an uptick for the US economy, and moderate job growth for the rest of this year and through 2012....


Related: Economy slows; a 2d slump is feared


Also see: Administration Telling the Truth About Stimuloot


Setting AP Straight on the Stimulus


Sick of the lies yet?

Obama’s aim is to seize control of the perception about the economy and make the case that his measures are having their intended impact, even if not as fast as he had hoped. Administration officials, for example, will try to make the case that the jobs picture is improving and would have been worse without the stimulus money....


Translation: He thinks he can bulls*** us!


Obama’s effort to sway public opinion begins with a rapid-fire series of events this week. He is scheduled to leave the Vineyard this morning and fly to New Orleans to mark the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, from which the region is still trying to recover. Obama will deliver a speech at Xavier University, in which he is likely to also defend his administration’s efforts to deal with the BP oil spill.


Then on Tuesday, Obama will mark a milestone in the Iraq war....


All the FALSE PHOTO OPS in the WORLD will NOT HELP!


ACTIONS speak LOUDER than WORDS, s***ter!!!


The president will visit Fort Bliss, Texas, to meet with troops, and will later deliver a speech from the Oval Office. Obama has been planning the address since before his vacation, and has had extensive conversations with staff about the message he wants to convey.


But what the president may find is an American public far more interested in jobs at home than a seven-year war halfway across the world, said Michael O’Hanlon, who specializes in national security and defense policy at the Brookings Institution.


Umm, we can WALK and CHEW GUM at the same time -- especially since the TWO go HAND-in-HAND!


“The American public moved on from Iraq several years ago,’’ said O’Hanlon. “I don’t think Americans are in a celebratory mood.’’


Not until NOT ONE TROOP or CONTRACTOR occupies that land!


What the president’s speech must do, O’Hanlon said, is to look forward and lay out a workmanlike vision for helping the Iraqis establish a workable government. Meanwhile, Obama must deal with the war in Afghanistan and respond to the massive floods in Pakistan.


Which just reminds us of how much a failure he has been.


On Thursday, Obama will host Israeli and Palestinian delegations in an attempt to kick-start talks in search of peace.


Bringing Israel into the mix helps no one!


The string of events allows the president an opportunity for a burst of favorable media coverage, said Steve Rabinowitz, who designed public events for former President Clinton.


Like he isn't already getting that.


“Finally, the calendar and events around the world are working in the president’s favor,’’ said Rabinowitz. He noted that the Gulf of Mexico oil spill has been capped, the drawdown of US troops in Iraq is on time, despite continued violence, “and the Mideast summit at the very least will start out positive,’’ he said....


He truly believes you will but the lies, Americans.


Related: Netanyahu wants biweekly peace talks


There he goes putting another precondition on things!


Rabinowtiz said the Obama White House team also has recently improved its “presidential imagery’’ — the way the president is presented to the American public. “I’ve been frustrated with the images I saw the first 18 months; all staid stuff at the White House and town meetings around the country. I get the town meeting thing. But it can’t be the only thing that you do. The events all look the same.’’


Can you EAT IMAGE? Does it put a ROOF over your head?


He said Obama has been pictured in more events with what the political world calls “real people,’’ such as gulf-area businesspeople facing hard times. “As valuable as these presidential photo opportunities have been, they’re even more valuable now,’’ as more people begin to pay attention to the campaign, he said.


A year ago, the president returned from a Vineyard vacation to fight for his health care package. Obama got the bill passed, but many voters may not feel the impact for several years.


No, they will be feeling the impact right away.


Related: A Dollar a Day Keeps Obama in Play


Sick of the MSM lies yet?


Jobs and the economy are again the issue this fall, and it’s too late for improvements in the economy to substantially change the fall races, said Morris Fiorina, a political science professor at Stanford University.


Translation: look for a REPUBLICAN ROUT in the fall.


“There’s an old saying that an incumbent president doesn’t need good press, he needs good news,’’ said Fiorina. “He can’t control the flow of events.’’


No, his string-pulling masters do that.


**********

One area where Obama may be able to draw a distinction with Republicans this fall is on the fate of the tax cuts passed under George W. Bush, due to expire this year unless extended by Congress....


Related:


"Lawmakers are expected to quickly resume their fight over whether to renew soon-to-expire tax cuts enacted a decade ago under President George W. Bush, though they may not act until after the November elections"


Also see: Economic panel offers Obama options on tax reform


What did they say about them?


“The tax cuts give him the opportunity to take a more populist tone,’’ said Fiorina....


We are tired of hot air.


Many analysts are predicting that Democrats will lose a number of seats in the House and Senate and possibly control of Congress....


They should at least lose the House in a fair election.


--more--"


They may even take the Senate if Obomber keeps talking this way:


"Obama, in radio address, says ‘the war is ending’


TISBURY — President Obama said the withdrawal of US combat troops from Iraq means “the war is ending.’’


Related: Occupation Iraq: Obama Out Early


Liar!


Also see: Occupation Iraq: New Day Dawning


You think changing the name will make the turd stink less?


********


“In the months ahead, our troops will continue to support and train Iraqi forces, partner with Iraqis in counterterrorism missions, and protect our civilian and military efforts,’’ Obama said, a day before ending his 10-day Martha’s Vineyard vacation to travel to New Orleans and mark another somber date: the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina....


Doesn't look like an end to me.


And WHY are we STILL SENDING SOLDIERS THERE, huh?


Remaining troops will assume a backup and training role, a shift Obama will underscore with a visit to Fort Bliss, Texas, on Tuesday and then a prime-time speech to the nation from the Oval Office...


A turd, by any other name, still stinks.


At least he had a good vacation!


This time, Obamas were able to relax


EDGARTOWN — President Obama wrapped up a 10-day vacation yesterday that was blissfully free of the news emergencies that have interrupted some of his past getaways.


I guess no August surprise is a good thing.


Grim economic reports cast an inescapable shadow over the first family’s stay in Martha’s Vineyard, and tough tasks on Iraq and the Middle East await the president in Washington.

But during his time on this lovely island, the president never once had to shed his leisure wear to step in front of the podium and address a national emergency or matter of state....


Well, that's nice -- as Americans try to hold on to the shirts on their backs.


--more-"

Source: http://rockthetruth2.blogspot.com/2010/08/improving-obamas-image.html

»»  read more

Improving Obama's Image

Not much he can do here -- and this isn't going to help:


He’s going to be hustling on the road until the November election.... and seek to persuade skeptical Americans.... seize control of the perception.... sway public opinion.... message he wants to convey.... improved its “presidential imagery’’ — the way the president is presented to the American public.’’


As if we are going to be fooled by all that.


"Obama to hit campaign trail after island vacation; President aims to reassure voters on US economy" by Mark Arsenault, Globe Staff | August 29, 2010

OAK BLUFFS — For 10 days, even as dire housing and economic reports continued, President Obama kept to a disciplined vacation schedule....


But now, Democratic Party officials said, a recharged president will hit the midterm election hustings with a message tuned to echo his 2008 campaign theme of “Hope’’ and seek to persuade skeptical Americans that his long-promised economic recovery is real.


That should go over like a lead balloon!


All that will do is REMIND US why we are SO DISAPPOINTED in HIM!


“He is still a very strong energizer of the Democratic vote,’’ said Tim Kaine, chairman of the Democratic National Committee. “He’s going to be hustling on the road until the November election and he’ll be relishing the opportunity.’’


Yeah, I'm glad he has time to waste on political campaigns as the country falls apart.


Related: 2006 All Over Again


Looks like he will be ENERGIZING MORE REPUBLICANS!


**********


“This president has a record of accomplishment in the first 18 months unmatched by any administration since FDR,’’ said Kaine.


Why did the word hyperbole just enter my head?


Just last week, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that the president’s stimulus bill, passed last year with little Republican support, is responsible for creating or protecting between 1.4 million and 3.3 million jobs. And an economic forecast released last week by the Milken Institute projects an uptick for the US economy, and moderate job growth for the rest of this year and through 2012....


Related: Economy slows; a 2d slump is feared


Also see: Administration Telling the Truth About Stimuloot


Setting AP Straight on the Stimulus


Sick of the lies yet?

Obama’s aim is to seize control of the perception about the economy and make the case that his measures are having their intended impact, even if not as fast as he had hoped. Administration officials, for example, will try to make the case that the jobs picture is improving and would have been worse without the stimulus money....


Translation: He thinks he can bulls*** us!


Obama’s effort to sway public opinion begins with a rapid-fire series of events this week. He is scheduled to leave the Vineyard this morning and fly to New Orleans to mark the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, from which the region is still trying to recover. Obama will deliver a speech at Xavier University, in which he is likely to also defend his administration’s efforts to deal with the BP oil spill.


Then on Tuesday, Obama will mark a milestone in the Iraq war....


All the FALSE PHOTO OPS in the WORLD will NOT HELP!


ACTIONS speak LOUDER than WORDS, s***ter!!!


The president will visit Fort Bliss, Texas, to meet with troops, and will later deliver a speech from the Oval Office. Obama has been planning the address since before his vacation, and has had extensive conversations with staff about the message he wants to convey.


But what the president may find is an American public far more interested in jobs at home than a seven-year war halfway across the world, said Michael O’Hanlon, who specializes in national security and defense policy at the Brookings Institution.


Umm, we can WALK and CHEW GUM at the same time -- especially since the TWO go HAND-in-HAND!


“The American public moved on from Iraq several years ago,’’ said O’Hanlon. “I don’t think Americans are in a celebratory mood.’’


Not until NOT ONE TROOP or CONTRACTOR occupies that land!


What the president’s speech must do, O’Hanlon said, is to look forward and lay out a workmanlike vision for helping the Iraqis establish a workable government. Meanwhile, Obama must deal with the war in Afghanistan and respond to the massive floods in Pakistan.


Which just reminds us of how much a failure he has been.


On Thursday, Obama will host Israeli and Palestinian delegations in an attempt to kick-start talks in search of peace.


Bringing Israel into the mix helps no one!


The string of events allows the president an opportunity for a burst of favorable media coverage, said Steve Rabinowitz, who designed public events for former President Clinton.


Like he isn't already getting that.


“Finally, the calendar and events around the world are working in the president’s favor,’’ said Rabinowitz. He noted that the Gulf of Mexico oil spill has been capped, the drawdown of US troops in Iraq is on time, despite continued violence, “and the Mideast summit at the very least will start out positive,’’ he said....


He truly believes you will but the lies, Americans.


Related: Netanyahu wants biweekly peace talks


There he goes putting another precondition on things!


Rabinowtiz said the Obama White House team also has recently improved its “presidential imagery’’ — the way the president is presented to the American public. “I’ve been frustrated with the images I saw the first 18 months; all staid stuff at the White House and town meetings around the country. I get the town meeting thing. But it can’t be the only thing that you do. The events all look the same.’’


Can you EAT IMAGE? Does it put a ROOF over your head?


He said Obama has been pictured in more events with what the political world calls “real people,’’ such as gulf-area businesspeople facing hard times. “As valuable as these presidential photo opportunities have been, they’re even more valuable now,’’ as more people begin to pay attention to the campaign, he said.


A year ago, the president returned from a Vineyard vacation to fight for his health care package. Obama got the bill passed, but many voters may not feel the impact for several years.


No, they will be feeling the impact right away.


Related: A Dollar a Day Keeps Obama in Play


Sick of the MSM lies yet?


Jobs and the economy are again the issue this fall, and it’s too late for improvements in the economy to substantially change the fall races, said Morris Fiorina, a political science professor at Stanford University.


Translation: look for a REPUBLICAN ROUT in the fall.


“There’s an old saying that an incumbent president doesn’t need good press, he needs good news,’’ said Fiorina. “He can’t control the flow of events.’’


No, his string-pulling masters do that.


**********

One area where Obama may be able to draw a distinction with Republicans this fall is on the fate of the tax cuts passed under George W. Bush, due to expire this year unless extended by Congress....


Related:


"Lawmakers are expected to quickly resume their fight over whether to renew soon-to-expire tax cuts enacted a decade ago under President George W. Bush, though they may not act until after the November elections"


Also see: Economic panel offers Obama options on tax reform


What did they say about them?


“The tax cuts give him the opportunity to take a more populist tone,’’ said Fiorina....


We are tired of hot air.


Many analysts are predicting that Democrats will lose a number of seats in the House and Senate and possibly control of Congress....


They should at least lose the House in a fair election.


--more--"


They may even take the Senate if Obomber keeps talking this way:


"Obama, in radio address, says ‘the war is ending’


TISBURY — President Obama said the withdrawal of US combat troops from Iraq means “the war is ending.’’


Related: Occupation Iraq: Obama Out Early


Liar!


Also see: Occupation Iraq: New Day Dawning


You think changing the name will make the turd stink less?


********


“In the months ahead, our troops will continue to support and train Iraqi forces, partner with Iraqis in counterterrorism missions, and protect our civilian and military efforts,’’ Obama said, a day before ending his 10-day Martha’s Vineyard vacation to travel to New Orleans and mark another somber date: the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina....


Doesn't look like an end to me.


And WHY are we STILL SENDING SOLDIERS THERE, huh?


Remaining troops will assume a backup and training role, a shift Obama will underscore with a visit to Fort Bliss, Texas, on Tuesday and then a prime-time speech to the nation from the Oval Office...


A turd, by any other name, still stinks.


At least he had a good vacation!


This time, Obamas were able to relax


EDGARTOWN — President Obama wrapped up a 10-day vacation yesterday that was blissfully free of the news emergencies that have interrupted some of his past getaways.


I guess no August surprise is a good thing.


Grim economic reports cast an inescapable shadow over the first family’s stay in Martha’s Vineyard, and tough tasks on Iraq and the Middle East await the president in Washington.

But during his time on this lovely island, the president never once had to shed his leisure wear to step in front of the podium and address a national emergency or matter of state....


Well, that's nice -- as Americans try to hold on to the shirts on their backs.


--more-"

Source: http://rockthetruth2.blogspot.com/2010/08/improving-obamas-image.html

»»  read more

American Power: President Barack Obama Claims Credit on Iraq War (oh, and I've invented a new word !)

American Power: President Barack Obama Claims Credit on Iraq War




(Screenshot of the above-linked White House weekly address video, where BHO falsely claims he personally guided the Iraq conflict to a successful close. Take absolutely nothing from the capture of the three words seen in the closed captioning field "and suicide prevention." because I'm absolutely positive BHO didn't mean for those words to appear at the same time he was appearing so seemingly...sincere...


But whatever. Liberals won't care how mendaciously he speaks; as long as he's speaking in a soft and soothing baritone, he could be pronouncing the end of cheeseburgers and french fries and they'd still be as gullible and still all tingly and fainting.


Long live the Queen of France!     )





Source: http://serr8d.blogspot.com/2010/08/american-power-president-barack-obama.html

»»  read more

Iraq, Afghanistan, and the ghost of Vietnam


When the last US combat brigade left Iraq last week, it did so in triumph. The 4th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division rolled across the border into Kuwait leaving an Iraq that is relatively stable, even though many politicians and opponents of the war had called it hopeless less than four years ago. Many of the same people are similarly painting the war in Afghanistan as a lost cause today.


We should all be proud of the magnificent job that the US military has done in Iraq and Afghanistan. Units who fought in these theaters of the War on Terror include soldiers from the Georgia Army National Guard, Rangers from Hunter Army Air Field, and elements of the 3rd Infantry Division from Fort Benning. Georgia soldiers also served with units based around the country and the world.


The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have long been compared to the US experience in Vietnam with many warning of a quagmire as US forces engaged al Qaeda and Shiite insurgents. It is possible however, that many in this country have learned the wrong lesson from the history of the Vietnam War.


It is widely believed in some circles that it is almost impossible for a conventional force to defeat insurgents fighting a guerilla war. This view is ignorant both of world military history as well as the history of the many small wars that the US has fought around the world. The US military, especially the Marine Corps, has defeated or neutralized insurgents in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, Nicaragua, and even Vietnam. The story of these and other conflicts is detailed in Max Boot’s The Savage Wars of Peace.


Boot disputes the conventional wisdom that the US military was defeated by the Viet Cong in a guerilla war. He explains how General William Westmoreland was the wrong man for the command of the US forces in Vietnam. Westmoreland was a West Pointer who tried to fight a conventional, big unit war similar to what he experienced in WWII and Korea.


Mounting casualties led to increasing public opposition, especially after the Tet Offensive of 1968. During Tet, the VC violated an armistice to launch surprise attacks around South Vietnam. The scale of the attacks convinced many, including veteran newsman Walter Cronkite, that the insurgency was not nearly defeated, as many in the government and the military had claimed. In reality, Tat was a huge defeat for the VC. WE and ARVN counterattacks decimated VC ranks and they never recovered (Boot, p. 310).


In the wake of Tet, General Westmoreland was replaced by General Creighton Abrams. Abrams implemented a “one war” strategy that focused on “clear and hold” in a manner similar to General Piraeus’ successful strategy in Iraq. William Colby, leader of the CIA’s Phoenix Program was also instrumental in turning the war around. The Phoenix Program targeted VC cadres in South Vietnam and was responsible. The program led to the killing of 26,000 local VC as well capturing 33,000 and inducing 22,000 to defect (Boot, p. 310).


The methods of Abrams and Colby were so successful that in 1970, only two years after Tet, 90% of South Vietnam was under Saigon’s control (Boot, p. 311). Sir Richard Thompson, a counterinsurgency expert, wrote in 1970 that he was “able to visit areas and walk through villages which had been under VC control for years. There was a much greater feeling of security and people were ready to take up arms for the government because they sensed that the VC were weaker…. Existing roads are kept open, and more are being repaired and opened monthly” (Boot, p. 311).


Yet we know that the Vietnamese communists ultimately prevailed, overrunning the South and reuniting the nation under communist rule. So what happened? In a word: Congress.


Richard Nixon began a policy of Vietnamization, turning over prosecution of the war to the Vietnamese and drawing down US forces in the country. As US forces left, the North Vietnamese saw an opportunity. On March 30, 1972, the NVA launched its Easter Offensive, a conventional forces invasion of the South. Nevertheless, the ARVN forces were able to hold long enough for US airpower to inflict heavy losses on the invaders and the NVA was ultimately turned back (Boot, p. 310-311).


The strong showing led the North Vietnamese to sign the Paris Peace Treaty on January 27, 1973. This was a victory for the United States since it imposed an immediate ceasefire in addition to stipulating the withdrawal of US troops. President Nixon promised the South Vietnamese that the US would come to their aid if the North Vietnamese broke the ceasefire (http://hnn.us/articles/31400.html).


Unfortunately for the South Vietnamese, President Nixon was forced to resign in 1974. Even before that, Congress passed the Case-Church Amendment on June 19, 1973 which banned US military activity in Southeast Asia after August 15. Congress also cut aid to South Vietnam from $1.26 billion to $700 million (http://hnn.us/articles/31400.html). The North Vietnamese sensed blood in the water.


In 1975, the North Vietnamese launched a second conventional invasion of the South. This time, without American airpower or aid, the ARVNs fell back. Boot reports that the situation was so dire that the South Vietnamese troops had to reuse bandages taken from corpses (p. 310-311). With no American help forthcoming, an angry South Vietnamese President Thieu pleaded, “If [the U.S.] grant full aid we will hold the whole country, but if they only give half of it, we will only hold half of the country” (http://hnn.us/articles/31400.html). Instead, Congress granted no aid and South Vietnam fell in 55 days.


Many of the prominent Democrats who prevented the US from honoring its commitments to South Vietnam also opposed the Iraq War. These include Senators John Kerry and Ted Kennedy.


Knowing the full story of the fall of Saigon, the lesson that we should learn is that when our enemies cannot defeat us on the battlefield, they sow dissension at home. They realize that their best chance is to exhaust the political will of the government’s civilian leaders. General Vo Nguyen Giap, leader of the NVA, stated “We were not strong enough to drive out a half-million American troops, but that was not our aim. Our intention was to break the will of the American Government to continue the war” (Boot, p. 316).


A very real danger is that history will repeat itself in Iraq and Afghanistan. Thanks in large part to the sacrifice and hard work of the US military, Iraq is now much more stable than many observers believed possible a mere four years ago. The turnaround is also due to President Bush’s troop surge and General Petraeus’ counterinsurgency strategy. Afghanistan has further to go, but variations on the same strategy could also work there given enough time. It is a testimony to the stabilizing effect of US forces, and the reality of the danger that remains, that more than half of Iraqis did not want US troops to leave yet (http://frankwarner.typepad.com/free_frank_warner/2010/08/poll-60-of-iraqis-want-us-troops-to-stay.html).


Much of the violence in Iraq was caused by Shiite militia groups supported by Iran. Iran pledged to the Iraqi government in 2007 that it would stop equipping and training these groups (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/06/AR2007110600853.html). This pledge may have been partly to reduce the violence in Iraq and lull the US into a false sense of security, making it politically easier for the Obama Administration to withdraw US combat troops. It might also have been inspired by the possibility of uniting Iraqi Shiites into a political bloc that would elect a government friendly to Iran.


As Iran moves ever closer to developing nuclear weapons, it is possible that they will become emboldened by President Obama’s stated goal of a withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan by July 2011. A nuclear armed Iran that is faced with only token US opposition might well decide that a conventional invasion of Iraq is in their best interests. After all, Iraq is a long-time enemy that fought a decade long war with Iran in the 1980s. Perhaps more importantly, Iraq also controls significant oil reserves. Control of Iraq’s oil would make Iran exponentially more powerful on the world stage. Nuclear weapons in the Persian Gulf and conventional forces in Iraq would also threaten the vast oil reserves of Saudi Arabia.


The danger for the United States is that, like the Americans of 1975, we will be tempted to wash our hands of Iraq if an Iranian invasion comes. To do so, would be a mistake of the worst order. Not only would Iranian domination of the Persian Gulf threaten our own economy, it would also threaten our allies Israel, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, as well as the economies of the industrialized world. It would be very difficult to form a “coalition of the willing” to stave off a nuclear-armed terrorist state.


Additionally, it would further damage America’s reputation abroad if countries in which the US has invested vast amounts of men and material are allowed to fall to Iran. A fall of Baghdad and Kabul would arouse similar emotions as the famous photo of US embassy personnel being evacuated by helicopter from the roof of the Saigon embassy. It would lead our allies to question whether we can be counted upon and our enemies to sense our weakness.


Americans should make no mistake: Just because US forces are no longer in a combat role in Iraq, it does not mean that the war is over. It merely means that US troops are less likely to die in combat and that native forces are doing the lion’s share of the work. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are likely to continue for some time as long as al Qaeda and Iran continue to oppose the elected governments and the US doesn’t cut off aid. As George Orwell once said, “the quickest way to end a war is to lose it.”


Sources:
Boot, Max. The Savage Wars of Peace. Basic Books, New York, NY. 2002
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/06/AR2007110600853.html
http://hnn.us/articles/31400.html
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96350333
http://frankwarner.typepad.com/free_frank_warner/2010/08/poll-60-of-iraqis-want-us-troops-to-stay.html


Denver CO
August 27, 2010




Source: http://captainkudzu.blogspot.com/2010/08/iraq-afghanistan-and-ghost-of-vietnam.html

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Sunday Question for Conservatives

The topic is Iraq.  I'm not sure exactly how to frame this...what I'd like to know is how conservatives understand what's happened in Iraq.  Was it a foolish neo-con adventure that "real" conservatives would never have done?  A flat-out victory?  A defeat?  A very costly misstep that nevertheless delivered some real benefits for the US?  Do you think it would have been a victory, but for the meddling of liberal in 2007 who pushed George W. Bush to commit to leaving too soon, or but for something that Barack Obama has done wrong since then?  Do you think that Bush's actions in 2007-2008 were part of his plan all along?  Was it good for the Iraqi people?  Bad for the Iraqi people?  Was the invasion a correct decision, badly executed?  A poor choice regardless of how it was executed? 


I pretty much know the liberal understanding of Iraq.  I also know the "realist" conservative critique of Iraq, although I don't know how widespread it is among those who think of themselves as conservatives.  What I'm a lot murkier on is how mainstream conservatives think of Iraq at this point.  So, here's your chance: tell me what you think happened there.

Source: http://plainblogaboutpolitics.blogspot.com/2010/08/sunday-question-for-conservatives_29.html

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Sunday Question for Liberals

Suppose that Barack Obama keeps to his current plans in Iraq.  So far, he's cut the number of American troops there to just under 50,000, and American casualties have dropped: there were 108 American military deaths in Iraq in the last six months of 2008, 94 in the first six months of Obama's presidency (February through July 2009), 45 in the next six months, and 29 so far in the most recent six months, with a couple days to go in August.  So, suppose that American casualties continue to fall without quite hitting zero over the next year, and that Obama continues to withdraw troops, leaving very few ("guarding the embassy") troops but still a significant American civilian presence in Iraq at the end of 2011.  If that's the case, how will you grade Obama's performance on Iraq?  And, does anything other than the pace of American withdrawal and the numbers of American casualties figure in to your grading (such as the stability of the Iraqi government, the level of violence within Iraq, the degree to which Iraq is allied with either the US or Iran, or any other such information)? 

Source: http://plainblogaboutpolitics.blogspot.com/2010/08/sunday-question-for-liberals_29.html

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Sunday Question for Liberals

Suppose that Barack Obama keeps to his current plans in Iraq.  So far, he's cut the number of American troops there to just under 50,000, and American casualties have dropped: there were 108 American military deaths in Iraq in the last six months of 2008, 94 in the first six months of Obama's presidency (February through July 2009), 45 in the next six months, and 29 so far in the most recent six months, with a couple days to go in August.  So, suppose that American casualties continue to fall without quite hitting zero over the next year, and that Obama continues to withdraw troops, leaving very few ("guarding the embassy") troops but still a significant American civilian presence in Iraq at the end of 2011.  If that's the case, how will you grade Obama's performance on Iraq?  And, does anything other than the pace of American withdrawal and the numbers of American casualties figure in to your grading (such as the stability of the Iraqi government, the level of violence within Iraq, the degree to which Iraq is allied with either the US or Iran, or any other such information)? 

Source: http://plainblogaboutpolitics.blogspot.com/2010/08/sunday-question-for-liberals_29.html

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Tuesday, August 17, 2010

White House: Blast won't derail Iraq transition


The deadly suicide bombing outside a Baghdad army headquarters won't halt Iraq's transition to democracy...

Source: http://worldtelevisionstudios.blogspot.com/2010/08/white-house-blast-wont-derail-iraq.html

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Monday, August 16, 2010

Film Shows How Bush Admin Lies Marred Legacy of Pat Tillman

The "Tillman story," tells the struggle his family went through to learn the truth about Tillman's death and how political leaders covered-up the real story
By Rory O'Connor, MediaChannel.org
Posted on August 16, 2010






Of the many lies George W. Bush told us about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, some were larger but none worse than that told about the death of Pat Tillman.


In 2004 – just after Bush’s invasion of Iraq, ostensibly in search of those non-existent weapons of mass destruction — Tillman became a military-and media-manufactured symbol of duty, sacrifice, patriotism and heroism. But the truth about Tillman’s life is much more complex, and his death ultimately far more heroic, than the convenient, self-serving lie served up by the military and then sent out by our ever-gullible media.


Tillman, a truly remarkable young man who walked away from a multi-million dollar contract as a professional football player to enlist as in the Army Rangers after the 9/11 attacks, is the subject of The Tillman Story, a moving documentary directed by Amir Bar-Lev that opens in theatres in New York and Los Angeles this week. Although the film rightly tells the story of Pat Tillman’s remarkable life, it also focuses on a parallel Tillman story, that of the struggle his family went through to learn the truth about Tillman’s death from “friendly fire” and the ongoing cover-up of how and why our military and political leaders lied in order to exploit his heroism for propaganda purposes.


Tillman was on his second tour of duty when he was killed in Afghanistan — a victim of “fratricide,” inadvertently killed by his own troops during an ill-fated expedition. Our leaders should have told the truth — namely, that Corporal Tillman’s death was a senseless accident coupled with incompetence. Instead they lied — to all of us, but most despicably to his family – rewrote the details of his death, awarding Tillman a posthumous Silver Star, America’s third-highest military decoration, and turned the tragedy into an opportunity to promote their endless and unpopular wars.


Why did they lie? No doubt it began because at the time of Tillman’s death, in April 2004, the Bush war machine was roiled by a number of negative images that threatened to adversely affect public perception of the war in Iraq. Remember those haunting photographs and videos of the bodies of American contractors strung up in Fallujah? Can you ever forget the searing images depicting abuse by U.S. soldiers working as guards in the Abu Ghraib prison? Adding the news that American soldiers had gunned down a celebrated NFL star certainly wouldn’t help the war effort… So Pat Tillman was recast, in death, as a war hero and lesson to us all.


The Tillman Story excels in teaching us other lessons, however — not only about Corporal Pat Tillman, but also about his remarkable family, led by his indefatigable mother Dannie. It shows the arduous journey his family undertook to find the truth about what happened and to have someone held accountable not only for their son’s death but also for the added insult of its use as a propaganda tool. Handed a massive, confusing box of intelligence records — thousands of pages of documents about her son’s death – Dannie Tillman patiently dug through the voluminous material to uncover the roots of a carefully coordinated cover-up. Her efforts, along with that of Tillman’s father and other family members and friends, eventually forced a Congressional hearing into the matter. As the film dramatically demonstrates in its stunning climax, however, the ultimate fix was in… and although the many obvious lies and cover-ups can be tracked up to and even well beyond such military brass as the recently fired general Stanley McChrystal, in the end no one among the higher-ups was ever found blameworthy or even responsible for lying to the Tillman family and the nation.


In lieu of presenting a hagiography, Director Bar-Lev does an excellent job of humanizing Tillman and offering a multi-dimensional look at his actual character. Scenes with Tillman’s family as they lovingly describe his character and his close, funny and frequently profane relationship with two brothers (the film is unfortunately and unfairly burdened with an “R” rating as a result) along with testimony from family friends and fellow soldiers paint a clear portrait of who Tillman really was — warts and all. As Bar-Lev points out, Pat Tillman was no “paragon of moral certitude; he was curious and tried to see things from every possible point of view.” That impulse is what the director attempts to give back to his subject, after he had been dehumanized and exploited for political gain by America’s leaders, aided and abetted as usual by the complicit cheerleaders of the national news media.


“I hope the story of Tillman tells us that heroism and humanity are not contradictory and heroism is complex,” Bar-Lev told Documentary magazine. “‘Hero’ is a problematic word that says a lot more about the people using it than the person they’re speaking about….


“I knew there were myths around his death,” Bar-Lev added, “but what began to intrigue me was when we found out there were equally as many myths about his life.”


“Ultimately, what I would want to have happen is just the truth,” Pat’s youngest brother Richard told ESPN.com. “At the end of the day, Pat deserves the truth. This isn’t about our family. This isn’t about the Tillmans. This is about Pat Tillman. And he deserves the truth, period. He sacrificed so much for his country, and then the government turns around and uses him for propaganda. That is totally unacceptable.”

Source: http://spiderlegsworld.blogspot.com/2010/08/film-shows-how-bush-admin-lies-marred.html

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Should US Combat Troops be pulled out of Iraq?

Should US Combat Troops be pulled out of Iraq?


As of this moment: 20,000 additional United States Soldiers will be withdrawn from Iraq by the end of this month, basically ending all US Combat Troop operations in the war-torn Nation that's still without a functioning coalition government, even though their National Election was held several months ago. This policy is similar to President Nixon's approach to South Vietnam, which you might remember was a failure.


NeoConservatives have mostly opposed the launch of Operation New Dawn for quite some time, but with increasing violence, a potential resurgence of the al_Qaeda, a stalled government, and Iraqi Lt. General Babaker Zebari calling for US Troops to remain in the Nation until perhaps 2020, the calls to continue to defend the Iraqi people are no longer NeoConservative pleas, but a crucially important realism that will hopefully be realized in time.


Leaving Iraq would be suicide at this point. We have definitely Won the War, but now we need to make sure that our Victory will be the ultimate success for centuries to come. We freed the Iraqi's and we secured their Nation, but such as the United States struggled with threats after our arrival in world affairs in 1776, so is Iraq in 2010. The only difference is that the struggling new Nation has a friend who can help; and who must help.


We cannot leave Iraq.


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Source: http://jumpinginpools.blogspot.com/2010/08/should-us-combat-troops-be-pulled-out.html

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Thursday, August 12, 2010

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has defended his decision ...

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has defended his decision to go to war in Iraq. Mr. Blair spoke before a British government committee Friday. He said the government of late Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was in his words ...


Source: http://louboutingirl.blogbus.com/logs/72902985.html

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Film Reviews From the Basement: Guest Review: The Green Zone

Rather than focusing on having the US as the saviors, or telling us from a soldier's perspective the horrors of war, this movie looks at the reason for the war in Iraq. We all know that the US invaded Iraq searching for the reported ...


Source: http://filmreviewsfromthebasement.blogspot.com/2010/08/guest-review-green-zone.html

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aussie world politics: Global Research Newsletter--Nuclear War-Be ...

While one can conceptualize the loss of life and destruction resulting from present-day wars including Iraq and Afghanistan, it is impossible to fully comprehend the devastation which might result from a Third World War, ...


Source: http://aussieworldpolitics.blogspot.com/2010/08/global-research-newsletter-nuclear-war_12.html

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la nouvelle théologie: War

He discusses his book with Paul Rieckhoff, founder and executive director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. Mr. Rieckhoff, an Iraq War veteran, is the author of 'Chasing Ghosts: Failures and Facades in Iraq - A Soldier's ...


Source: http://ressourcement.blogspot.com/2010/08/war.html

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Stop-Loss Sale-$9.99! | Vanessas Blog

I suspect that some people cheered his actions; after all, the Iraq war is very unpopular and seen as unjust by many people. However, it was never clear to me why King was so upset about his stop-loss. Was he afraid of getting killed ...


Source: http://vicente5387093.sme.ms/2010/08/13/stop-loss-sale-9-99/

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Gerald Celente: US Double Dip Depression will Lead us into War ...

@BullnBearAnalytics war cost money, lots of it, only the top make money from it, US was borrowing trillions from China to fun the iraq war. TheRighteoussone says: August 12, 2010 at 1:03 am. They TOook ERrrr JERBS. gallogotti79 says: ...


Source: http://onlinestressinfo.com/blog/771/gerald-celente-us-double-dip-depression-will-lead-us-into-war-alex-jones-tv-34/

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Al's Palace: 10 key reasons why the Obama presidency is in meltdown

From the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to the War on Terror, President Obama's leadership has often been muddled and confused. On Afghanistan he rightly sent tens of thousands of additional troops to the battlefield. ...


Source: http://alspalais.blogspot.com/2010/08/10-key-reasons-why-obama-presidency-is.html

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What do Arabs really think about Iran? — War in Context

As a result, both Iran and Iraq were “contained.” Are Arab governments considering yet another war? Despite the repeated unconfirmed reports about anonymous Arab leaders urging Obama to follow Israel's lead, the circumstances today are ...


Source: http://warincontext.org/2010/08/12/what-do-arabs-really-think-about-iran/

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